Barn gutter cleaner



March 19,1957 6. B. BRUECKER BARN GUTTER CLEANER 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 FiledMarch 25, 1954 March 19, 1957 e. B. BRUECKER BARN GUTTER CLEANER 2Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed March 25, 1954 INVENTOR. A, GEO/F6549. fixmac/rzx?United States This invention relates generally to barn gutter cleaners,and more particularly to a barn gutter cleaner having a flexiblehauling-line for reciprocably actuating a swingable scraper bladeattached thereto.

A purpose of this invention is to provide a simple, facile, sanitary,inexpensive and efiicient barn gutter cleaner, to be installed at lowcost. Another purpose is to provide an extremely simple barn guttercleaner adapted to operate in gutters passing through box stalls.

An object of this invention is to provide a barn gutter cleaner having areciprocable, flexible hauling-line for actuating a swingable scraperblade attached thereto.

Another object of this invention is to provide a barn gutter cleaner ofthe reciprocable, swingable blade type, adapted to operate on acommunicating inclined trough.

Still another object of this invention is to provide a barn guttercleaner of the reciprocable, flexible haulingline type, that embodies aswingable scraper blade to convey gutter litter outwardly, and returnsthe blade folded whereby the blade will by-pass the accumulated litterin the gutter, and is automatically re-openable by a change of itsdirection.

A further object of this invention is to provide a gutter conveyor-plowhaving an articulated runner operative to be guideable around an obtusecorner.

. A still further object is to provide a swingable scraper blade,actuated byv a looped flexible cable run, wherein the upper and lowerruns thereof are disposed in the gutter.

Other objects and many of the attendant advantages of this inventionwill be readily appreciated as the same becomes better understood byreference to the following ate detailed description, when considered inconnection with along the centerline of a gutter thereof, showing thesubject barn cleaning apparatus installed therein;

Fig.2 shows an isometric view of the conveyor-plow embodiedin thesubject barn gutter cleaner;

Fig. 3 is an isometric view of the rear section of a runner embodied inthe conveyor-plow;

Fig. 4 illustrates an isometric view. of the front section of the runnerembodied in theconveyor-plow;

Fig. 5 shows an isometric view of a scraper blade e l.- bodied in theconveyor-plow;

Fig. 6 is an isometric view of a bolt embodied in the conveyor-plow;

Fig. 7 is a sectionalview through the barn gutter on line 7-7 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 8 is a modified illustration showing the upper run of the cablemounted in the gutter.

Fig. 9 is an enlarged fragmentary section along line 9-9, showing thereturn cable, upper run, disposed in the gutter.

Referring now to the drawing, wherein like reference 2,785,790 PatentedMar. 19, 1957 'ice characters designate like or corresponding partsthroughout the several views, there is shown in Fig. 1 a dairy barnstructure having end walls 10 and 11, ceiling 12, and a concretefloor 13having the usual and conventional longitudinal litter gutter 14 therein.

The forward end of the gutter 14 terminates in a foundation opening 15,and communicates with an inclined trough 16 held in position by bracketmember 17 and flange 1S. Said flange is received in a slot formed in theconcrete at the gutter outlet 15. A grooved pulley 19 is rotatablymounted on a shaft 21 journalled in the side walls 22 of trough 16. Saidpulley is disposed adjacent the left side wall of said trough.

A relatively larger pulley 23 is rotatably mounted on a shaft 24journalled in the side wall of the gutter outlet 15. Said pulley isgrooved to receive the rounded top edge of the conveyor-plow runner tobe hereinafter described. Said pulley is disposed adjacent the left sidewall of said outlet 15.

A grooved pulley 25, companion to pulley 19, is rotatably mounted on ashaft 26 journalled in the side wall of the gutter, in proximity of therear terminous of the gutter. Said pulley is disposed adjacent the leftside Wall of the gutter.

A grooved pulley 27, companion to pulley 19, is rotatably mounted on ashaft 28 journalled near the ceiling in end wall studs 29 on each sideof outlet 15. Said pulley 27 is disposed vertically above pulley 23.

Driving means 30 including winding means 40, reduction gear box andmotor 39, is mounted on the ceiling 12.

A winding drum 31 is mounted rotatively-rigid on a shaft 32 journalledin the supporting legs 33 of a framework secured to the barn ceiling 12.Said winding drum is disposed vertically above pulley 25. To drive said'drum shaft 32, there is mounted rotatively-rigid thereon, a groovedpulley 34. These components comprise the Winding means 40.

A reduction gear box 35, having an output pulley 36 and an input pulley37, is mounted on the barn ceiling 12, adjacent said winding drum. 7 Abelt 38 is trained over the pulleys 34 and 36.

An electric motor 39, having a pulley 41, is mounted on the barn ceiling12, adjacent said gear box 35. A belt 42 is trained over the motorpulley 41 and the gear box input pulley 37.

To energize and control the motor 39, there is provided a source ofalternating current 43 electrically connected to said motor by means ofconductors 44 and 45 and reversing switch 46.

To propel gutter litter toward the forward end of the gutter, and up theinclined trough to the discharge end 47 thereof, there is provided aself-contained conveyorplow indicated generally at 48. Saidconveyor-plow operates to propel and convey gutter litter on a forwardmotion, but plows through the gutter litter on aretrograde motion. V

The conveyor-plow comprises an elongated runner consisting of a rearsection 49, and an axially aligned front section 51 pivoted thereto bymeans of a horizontallydisposed pin 52. A swingable scraper blade 53 ispivotally mounted, on a vertical axis, on the rear section 49, operativeto automatically swing to a position at right angles to the runner whenthe conveyor-plow is caused to move toward the discharge end of thegutter, and to fold against the runner, and plow through the gutterlitter, when the conveyor-plow is returned in the opposite direction.

The rear section 49 of the runner, consists of a. vertically disposedplate having a rounded upper edge 54, and having a deep slot 55 in theforward end portion thereof. Intermediate the ends of said rear sectionare provided a pair of vertically spaced projecting lugs 56 .blade.

when it is swung to its non-operative position.

stop lugs operate to limit the scraper blade to a non- V -ative to therunner.

. thereto by any conventional means.

asse t-' tosaid rearsection 49, is of a length adapted to stop and'limit the swingable scraper blade 53 to a position at substantiallyright angles to said rear section.

' The scraper'blade 53 is vertically disposed and is provided with avertically disposed sleeve bearing 62 welded to the front face of theinboard end portion of said scraper The lower edge of the scraper bladeis provided withia forwardly projecting declined lip 63. Thesleevebearing is axially aligned with apertures 58 and 59, in

lugs 56 and 57,; respectively, and pivotally connected thereto by meansof bolt 64. Said bolt is threaded at its lower end and therebythreadedly engages with threaded scraper blade 53 and runner lug 57,respectively, to fix theYeXtent of the folding movement of the scraperblade These operative folded position, short of a parallel position rel-I This oblique disposition of the scraper blade assures the scraper'blade being positively and automatically swung to its operativeposition, at right angles 'to the runner, when the conveyor-plow islater moved in a direction to convey litter. The oblique disposition ofthe scraper blade, relative to the runner, also functions to support therunner in a substantially upright position.

The front section 'SL'of the runner, is provided with a rounded flange,67 along substantially all of the top edge, terminating near the rearend thereof. The rear end portion of said front section, having norounded flange thereon, is received in the slot 55 and pivotallyconnected to the runner rear section 49 by means of pin 52. Apertures 6dand 69, in the runner front and rear section's, respectively, functionas thepin 52 receiving apertures' This pin connection of the front andrear sections, results in anearticulated runner.

The assembled conveyor-plow is disposed in a barn gutter, with therunner adjacent'the left side wall of the gutter and'substantially in'line with pulleys 23 and 25.

VA loopedflexible hauling-line'71, such, as 'a flexible cable, wire,rope, chain orthe like, has one end thereof secured to the rear sectionof the runner, through the aperture '72'therein, and the remainingportion "of the nected' to the runner, it is obvious that'a closed 1100phauling-line. could be used and the runner connected Said loopedflexible hauling-line ischaracterized by an upper or return run .nearthe ceiling, and a lower or operating run in the gutter.- r

a 'An opening 74in the ba'rn end wall 11, is provided to accommodate thehauling-linetto pass therethrough. Operation z'The operator stands atthe reversing switch 46 (the operatingstationland controls the: barngutter Assume that the concleaning apparatus therefrom. veyor-plow 48 islocated at the forward end of the gutter, at thev outlet opening 15,where it would be "normally positioned after a previous barn guttercleaning. And

disposition, at right angles to the runner. V a

p The operator then throws the switch 4610 make an electrical contactthat will energize the motor 39 to drive assume that the scraper bladeis in its open conveying through, by-passing the manure.

4 the conveyor-plow backwardly through means of the hauling-line 71.

Assume further that the gutter is in need of cleaning because of thepresence therein of barn litter or manure. In close proximity to theoutlet 15, there is usually no manure present in the gutter. As theconveyor-plow begins its initial rearward travel the runner thereofmoves therewith, and because of the frictional resistance between thebottom edge of the scraper blade 53 and the bottom surface of thegutter, the scraper blade lags in movement relative to the runner andswings forwardly of the gutter, toward the runner, until the stop lug onthe scraper blade abuts the stop lug 66 on the runner. In thisnon-operative folded position, the scraper blade is disposed at a slightangle to the runner, for automatic opening to an operating position tobe hereinafter described.

As the conveyor-plow continues toward the rear of the gutter it contactsthe manure therein and plows there- The reaction of the manure againstthe angularly disposed scraper blade re- .sults in forces thrusting therunner against the left side wall of the gutter, and thereby maintainsthe conveyorplow in an efiicient by-passing path.

In the event the aforementioned frictional resistance, generated at theinitial movement of the conveyor-plow, is insuificient to cause thescraper blade to befolded into its non-operative position, it is obviousthat upon said scraper blades contact with the gutter manure, the muchgreater reaction of the obstructing manure against the swingable scraperblade will positively cause the scraper blade to be folded forwardlyinto its non-operativeefolded position against the runner stop.

When the conveyor-plow has plowed through approximately a 10 foot lengthof manure in the gutter, or any other length that may be considered acapacity load for the apparatus, the operator throws the reversingswitch 46 from the previous contact points to second contact points thatcause the motor to reverse its direction of rotation, resulting in thedriving of the conveyor-plow, forwardly, through means of the samehauling-line 71.

When the conveyor-plow runner commences its forward travel, the pivotalangularly disposed and projecting scraper blade 53 lags in movementrelative to the runner. As the oblique swingable scraper blade engageswith the obstructing manure it is positively held thereby and swungrelatively rearwardly into an open conveying position at right angles tothe runner." This operating position of the scraper blade, is limited tosaid right angle positionrnent by stop plate 61 on the rear section ofthe runner.

Continued forward travel of the conveyor-plow pushes and otherwiseconveys the manure in said ld'foot section of the gutter, ahead of saidscraper plate, toward and through the gutter outlet 15, and up theinclined trough. When the conveyor-plow reaches the gutter outlet 15',

the rounded flange '67 on the forward section of therunner, engages withthe correspondingly rounded g oove in pulley 23, and is guidedthereby-as said pivoted front section 51 negotiates the obtuse anglepath at the junction of the gutter and the. inclined trough. Therearsection 49 of said articulated runner similarly engages with the groovedpulley and similarly negotiates said obtuse angle path.

the inclined trough conveys the transported manure to the dischargeopening 47 in the trough, where it falls therethrough into a manurespreader wagon, not shown.

The reversing switch 46 is; located so that th'e operator 7 has a clearview of the discharge opening 47- in the Continued forward traveloftheconveyor-plow up' 36 to drive the conveyor-plow backwardly down theinclined trough and repeats the procedure for the remaining foot sectionloads of manure until the entire length of gutter is successivelycleaned of manure.

Fig. 8 is a modified illustration of the cable arrangement of Fig. 1,showing the return cable trained in the gutter, in lieu of its beingtrained overhead near the ceiling as in the parent construction.

In this form of the invention, the driving means 30', comprising thewinding means 49', the reduction gear box 35 and the motor 39' aremounted on the inclined trough 16'.

A grooved pulley 75, is rotatably mounted on a shaft 76 journalled inthe side wall of the gutter and disposed adjacent the left side wallthereof.

A looped flexible hauling-line 71' has one end thereof secured to therear end of the conveyor-plow 48', and the remaining portion of thehauling line trained over pulley 25, under pulley 75, around windingdrum 31, under pulley 19', under pulley 23', and thence terminatingsecured to the front end of conveyor-plow 48. Said cable run ischaracterized by an upper or return run 77 and a lower or operating run78, both in the gutter.

This modified construction is operated in the same way as the parentconstruction described hereinabove.

The characteristic features of this invention are the provision of anextremely simple reciprocable barn gutter cleaner; the provision of abarn gutter cleaner having a flexible hauling-line for reciprocablyactuating a swingable scraper blade attached thereto; the provision of avariable-stroke, flexible hauling-line type of barn gutter cleaner; theprovision of a novel self-contained conveyorplow of the swingablescraper blade type; the provision of an articulated, self-containedconveyor-plow adapted to negotiate vertical obtuse corners; and theprovision of a swingable scraper blade in a gutter, actuated by a loopedflexible cable run, wherein the upper and lower runs thereof aredisposed in the gutter.

Obviously, many modifications and variations of the present inventionare possible in the light of the above teachings. It is therefore to beunderstood that within the scope of the appended claims, the inventionmay be practised otherwise than as specifically described.

What is claimed and desired to be protected by Letters Patent of theUnited States is:

1. A barn gutter cleaner for installation in a barn gutter with anangular bend therein and having a smooth bottom and a side wallextending upwardly therefrom, comprising: a scraper blade adapted torest on the bottom of the gutter and to scrape the same in one directionof movement therealong; a single reciprocable drive means for said bladeadapted to extend along the upright wall of the gutter and to have oneend of said blade pivoted thereto to provide for free movement of theblade from a folded non-scraping trailing position when moving along thegutter in one direction to a scraping position wherein the blade extendssubstantially across the bottom of the gutter when moving along thegutter in the opposite direction, a substantial portion of saidreciprocable drive means being flexible to provide for an angular bendin the gutter; means adapted to be disposed adjacent the bend in thegutter for guiding said reciprocable drive means as it moves past thebend; means including a part of said drive means adapted to engage theupright side wall of the gutter for guidance thereby and to limit thepivotal movement of said blade to prevent loss of the load; and meansconnected to the opposite ends of said reciprocable drive means to pullthe same alternately in opposite directions to actuate said blade in thegutter whereby the blade moves material in one direction toward an endof the gutter when the blade is moved in that direction and is extendedacross the gutter and said blade by-passes the material in the gutterwhen the blade is moved in the opposite direction and is folded to anon-scraping position, said barn cleaner being characterized by beingcapable of removing the material in the gutter in successive incrementsby successive reciprocating movements of the same.

2. The apparatus described in claim 1 in which said blade has aforwardly projecting declining portion to serve in aid of holding theblade downwardly against the bottom of the gutter when loaded.

3. A conveyor-plow, comprising: a runner having an outer and an innerface; a scraper blade having one end vertically hinged at said innerface; stop means for limiting the rearward operating swing of thescraper blade to substantially right angle to the runner; said runnerbeing divided into sections pivotally connected.

4. A conveyor-plow, comprising: a runner having an outer and an innerface; a scraper blade having one end vertically hinged on said innerface; stop means for limiting the rearward operating swing of thescraper blade to substantially right angle to the runner; said runnerbeing divided into sections pivotally related to each other on ahorizontal axis.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS2,467,988 Petraske Apr. 19, 1949 2,516,798 Peterson July 25, 19502,533,676 Matthews et al. Dec. 12, 1950 2,547,270 Kunz Apr. 3, 19512,667,264 Holloway Jan. 26, 1954

